A media program delivery service may offer different media programs for delivery to users. A user may use a variety of devices to receive and view the media programs. For example, “living room” may be Internet-connected devices that may be located in a user's living room and are relatively stationary. Although living room devices are discussed, it is recognized that the devices may be located in other locations. Examples of living room devices include Internet-connected televisions, set top boxes, gaming consoles, etc.
When a user wants to view media programs on a living room device, the user needs to first activate the living room device with the media program delivery service. For example, a user may download an application associated with the media program delivery service onto the living room device. Then, to associate the living room device with the user's account for the media program delivery service, a unique ID of the living room device needs to be sent to the media program delivery service.
In one method of activation, a user uses a remote control to input the user's username and password into the application on a display of the living room device. The application would then activate the living room device by sending the living room device's unique ID to the media program service. Once this occurs, the media program delivery service activates the living room device and associates the living room device with the user's account. Once activated, the user can use the application to have media programs delivered to the living room device. However, having the user log in using the remote control may be time consuming and difficult because some remote controls do not provide convenient ways of input. For example, a gaming console's controller is not meant to input text and does not have a full alpha-numeric keyboard. This requires that a user to use an arrow pad to enter in one letter at a time. Additionally, a television remote control often does not have a full alpha-numeric keyboard either.
In another method of activation, the living room device may display an activation code on a display device. The user must then go to another device, such as a laptop computer or mobile device, and log on to a website associated with the media program delivery service. After logging on to the user's account on the website, the user enters in the activation code being displayed on the living room device. Once this occurs, the media program delivery service activates the living room device and associates the living room device with the user's account. The activation code identifies a unique ID for the living room device. In this case, the media program delivery service can identify the living room device and send credentials for the user to the living room device such that the user is automatically logged in to the device. Afterwards, the user may automatically use the living room device to have media programs delivered to it without logging on again.